DELHI: Australia’s hard-hitting batter Glenn Maxwell on Wednesday, rewrote history as he struck the fastest World Cup century in his side’s ICC World Cup 2023 fixture against Netherlands.
Maxwell smashed the fastest World Cup century, conceding just 40 deliveries to achieve the milestone.
He finished at a 44-ball 106 that featured nine boundaries and eight sixes.
Glenn Maxwell is the first batter in ODI history to score a century after having faced the first ball after the 40th over.
The right-handed all-rounder went after his Dutch counterpart Bas de Leede and played a pivotal role in pushing the latter to register the worst bowling figures in ODI cricket.
Coming out to bat at number six when Australia were 266/4 in the 39th over, Glenn Maxwell batted sensibly in the early phase of his sensational knock before switching gears.
He baton-charged the Dutch bowlers with belligerent hitting, the highlight of which was the 28-run 49th over, bowled by Bas de Leede.
For the unversed, the previous record was held by South Africa’s Aiden Markram. He scored his century in just 49 balls against Sri Lanka at the same venue in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023.
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Prior to that, Australia had a shaky start after winning the toss as they lost Mitchell Marsh in the fourth over at a meagre total of 28.
However, David Warner, fresh from his 163 off 124 against Pakistan, joined hands with Steve Smith and knitted a solid 132-run stand for the second wicket.
Both batters completed their fifties during the partnership before Aryan Dutt sent Smith back to the pavilion.
Smith scored a 68-ball 71, with the help of nine boundaries and one six.
David Warner, played an anchor role during his 84-run partnership with Marnus Labuschagne, dominated by the latter, who scored 62 in 47 deliveries.
Labuschagne’s 47-ball 62 featured seven boundaries and two sixes before he was caught in an attempt to clear mid-on off Bas de Leede.
Meanwhile, David Warned completed his 22nd and second consecutive ODI century in 91 balls but got out two balls later leaving Australia to 267-5 in the 40th over.
Meanwhile, captain Pat Cummins stayed with Maxwell on the other end of the partnership dominated by Maxwell’s onslaught. Cummins scored a mere 8 runs in the partnership of 103.
Glenn Maxwell’s 44-ball knock came to an end in the final over, before Cummins hit the last ball for four to end the Australian innings at 399.